


Strategem

by VespidaeQueen



Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Chess, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-04
Updated: 2013-08-04
Packaged: 2017-12-22 10:31:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/912155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VespidaeQueen/pseuds/VespidaeQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He should not have been surprised that Thor was good at chess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strategem

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vanessasketch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanessasketch/gifts).



"So, it is a game of war."

Bruce finishes setting up the pieces, little pieces of shaped metal. There’s a set made out of stone somewhere around, but he has a feeling that pieces which are already that fragile would probably end up shattered if used by any of the Avengers. “Yes. Each piece has an assigned set of motions it can go through. And the goal is to corner  _this_  piece," he picks up the white king to show Thor which one he’s talking about, “so that it can’t move or be saved."

Thor frowns slightly, but nods. “I see. He is the commander of the forces, then?"

"Ah, yes, I suppose. But he can only move one space in each direction."

Thor nods again. “And these?" He indicated the small pieces on the second line of squares.

"Pawns. They can move one space forward, except for their first move - they can move two spaces for that. They can only capture another piece by a diagonal move of one square, and if you manage to get them to the opposing side of the board they can become any other piece."

Thor is still frowning a bit, the skin between his eyebrows furrowed, but he seems to be understanding as Bruce explains the function of each piece.

And then they start playing.

Bruce goes first, moving a white pawn forward on the board. Then Thor goes, in a move that mimics, and at first Bruce wonders how well Thor actually understood the rules.

But, after a short time of playing, Bruce starts to realize something - Thor is  _good_  at this game.

"You haven’t played this before, have you?" Bruce asks as Thor takes one of his bishops.

Thor shakes his head. “No."

Bruce surveys the board, the layout of pieces. “You’re doing very good for your first time."

He shrugs and moves his rook, leaving a straight shot for Bruce to move his queen to put the black king in check. Except - he can see it right there, the black bishop ready to capture the queen as soon as she moves. A trap. “It is a battlefield. Each soldier has their own skills, and each can be used to create a strategy. Is that not how this game is played?"

"No, no, that’s kind of it," Bruce says, moving his king one square to the side to set up his own plan.

He probably should have guessed that a warrior prince would know a thing or two about strategy.


End file.
